Flexible cord or strip puzzle



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,400

E. L. FARROW FLEXIBLE CORD OR STRIP PUZZLE Filed July 19, 1927 3SheetsSheet Q; a B

noemtoz ERNEST L'FHRR DW Sept. 25, 1928.

1,685,400 E. L. FARROW FLEXIBLE CORD OR STRIP PUZZLE Filed July 19, 19273 Sheets-Sheet 2 WW I Snow W01 smvssr L.- WW

H'ornu Sept. 25, 1928.

1,685,400 E. L. FARROW FLEXIBLE CORD OR STRIPPUZZLE Filed July 19, 19273 Sheets-Sheet 3 amwutoz zmvssr 1 WWW the bow for the band delineated onthe hat..

' vation thereof, the slotted backing sheet be- Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,685,406 PATENT" OFFICE.

ERNEST L. FARROW, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO; PAULINE FARROW ADMINISTRA-TBIX OF SAID ERNEST L. FARROW, DECEASED.

FLEXIBLE com) on s'rmr PUZZLE.

Application filed July 19,

My invention relates to games or puzzles, and my object is to provide anew and interesting game or puzzle of simple form and structure made ofor comprising separate thin sheets of materiahsuch as paper or flexiblecardboard, formed and fastened together in a unique way to make theirdetachment. puzzling and difiicult. The separate sheets or pieces arepreferably printed, decorated and embellished, or cut to desiredpatterns, to produce an attractive design or picture when the sheets orpieces are fastened together, and the invention permits the making of acomposite picture or design. That is to say, one element of the picturemay form a part of one sheet or piece, and the additional elements ofthe picture may be parts of the other sheets or pieces, the completepicture or design being only made when the several sheets or pieces areinterlocked together. The separation of the sheets or pieces isalso mademore puzzling by making the locking piece an essential part of thedesign or picture.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a game orpuzzle made in three pieces constructed according to my invention, andFig. 2 is a sectional view thereof on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is arear elevation of the assembly shown in Fig. 1. Fig. i is an. elevationof the single piece representing the hat in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5' is anelevation of the locking piece representing tional views of thethreesheets or pieces sep-.

arated, on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 11- isa front elevation of a fourpiece game or puzzle constructed according tomy invention, in which onepiece is made of a flexible string 7 or cord, and Fig. 12 is a similarfront eleiiig omitted as when detached. Fig. 13 is afront elevation, andFig. 14 a sectional View,

of a further modification of the inventioncomprising a string and aseries of disks, and Figs. 15, 16, and 17, are similar views rep- 1927.Serial No. 206,902.

resenting still other modifications comprising strings and lockingdisks.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the game or puzzle delineated comprises athin flat sheet A of paper or cardboard having printed or lithographedon one face thereof a picture of the head of a young man. This sheet isslotted vertically on parallel lines 22 to provide a marked or printedas having a hat band 4. i

Sheet B has a square or rectangular opening 5 in the area designated ashat band 4, and this opening is of substantially the same sizetransversely as loop 3 in sheet A. When sheet B is placed flat uponsheet A with opening 5 opposite loop 3, only a small area of the loop isexposed. By doubling the loop, an operation also requiring doubling orbuckling of sheet A, it is possible to project the loop through opening5. Preferably at least one of the sheets is thin and easy to tear, andto avoid tearing of the loop the pieces must bev handled with care andunderstanding. Briefl-y, attempts by unskilled or inexperienced personsto fold or unfold the loop is rendered difficult, and when a third pieceC is inserted and locked in place between loop 3 and the outer face ofthe superposed sheet or piece B, with the loop drawn substantiallyflatas appears in Figs. 1 and 2,.the detachment of the pieces is notobvious, especially when the locking piece C is formed with enlargedends or extremities 66. In Fig. 1, these enlarged ends 66 represent theflaring ends ofa bow or tie for bat band 4, and an illusion is presentedwhich plays a part in the solving of the puzzle or the problem ofseparating the three pieces which appear to be inseparably lockedtogether, or so locked that separation seems nearly impossible withouttearing one of the pieces. The union of the three or more pieces in theway described to'form a complete picture or'design only when they areassembled and locked together, is alsoa feature ofnovelty and utility ina game or puzzle of thiskind. Aman with a removable hat is only oneexemplificatron of such a device. Thus in Fig. 6 I show three thin fiatpieces A, B, and C, united together in the same or. a correspondingman-f ner, the picture in this case being that of the face of a manWearing large goggles or spectacles, which present a problem forremoval. In this case the piece C is perforated or .7 provided withround openings 77 in its encorrespond to the outline of the face;

larged ends (33. Piece B .is shown as a round flat disl: bearing theimprint of a mans face, but this piece may be stamped or cut to Afurther carrying forward of the invention is i made in Fig. 7, whichcomprisesthree separate sheets i 7", B. and C, the latter sheet havingits central area cut awayin para and 'may. be. made very'cheaply andused extensively for advertising purposes. To inc icate its Wide rangeof advertising use, such games or puzzles have been made and sold inconnection with automibletires, one sheet representing a tire secured bya locking piece to the face of. a second sheet portraying the rear of anautomobile. Another form pictures a personwearing a bow tie; and'anothera dog with a bone. in its mouth. 7 r

, The modified form of the invention shown in Fi s. lland l2 sheet 2 ofthe drawin s b i b 7 consists of four pieces instead of three pieces,thefourth piece being a string or cord D tastened at one end tosheet Band having a locksquare opening 5 at its center.

base sheet A. form of the invention is to reverse the posiingpiece Cfastenedtoits oppositeend. The main sheet A is cut out to provide ahorizontally extending loop portion 3, and sheet 13 contains therectangular opening 5. Lockin g is ellected when the string or cord Dpasses through the loop in front of sheet 13",

the locking piece 6 being larger than openingj5. .As delineated thestring represents a fish line suspended from a fish pole inthehands of afisherman, and the locking piece 6' is in the form of a fish.

i In Figs. 13 and 14:, I show a plain sheet of, paper A having a loop 3formed therein, to-

gether with a round flat disk B having a Two strings or cords E and Fare threaded through the loop and through two perforated locking piecesG and H. The opposite ends of the. strings or cords are i securedpermanently to The puzzle or problem in this ion of the small disks orpieces G and Hxvitln out detaclung the strings.

and piece In Figs. 15, 16 and 17, I show a base sheet A having a loop atits center, together with a s uare sheet K havin an ooenin 5 at its 1 al n *enterthrougn Which loop 5 may be doubled,

and the locking of the sheets together is eii'ector piece J to theopposite side of the square piece K notwithstanding that the string islooped around loop 3 in base sheet A.

lVhat I claim is r 1. A game or puzzle, comprising a flexible sheetslitted' one adjoining parallel lines to form a. narroiv liei'ihleportion and loop, a thin flat piece having a square opening with sidesabout cquahinlength to the Widthof said loop and adapted to expose apartof said loop when said pieccis superposed upon said sheet, and a tiemember adapted to interlock with said loop and to secure said sheetnon-rotatably but detachably together. i

Aganie or puzzle, comprising a thin net of flexible material havingparallel in lsi'ons which Will permit a part of said sheet 0 be formedinto a loop when the sheet is tiered, a thin fiat piece having a squareopen- With sides. about equalin length to the Width of said loop andadapted to receive the 'said'loop, and a tie'member adapted to slipthrough saidloop having enlar ements spaced the Widthof said loopfromeach other and adapted to lock said sheet and piece nonrotatablytogether j 3.'A game or puzzle, comprising a base sheet of flexiblematerial slotted on parallel lines to permita loop to be'developed byflexing the sheet, said sheet bearing a picture; a thin flat piecehaving a square opening adapt ed to receive said loop, the sides of saidopening being about equal to the width of said loop and said pieceportraying apart of the picture on said sheet; and a tie memberinterlocking said sheet and piece tightly and.

detachably together. 7

- 4. A game or puzzle, comprising a base sheet 'incisedto permit a loopto be' developed therefrom, a scparatellat piece having an openingadapted to receive said loop, a string connected to said base sheet andpassing around said loop, and a perforated piece sleeved upon saidstring between said loop and thepoint of connection of said string Withsaid base sheet. i

A game or puzzle, comprising a flexible sheet incised to permit a loopto be developed therefrom, a fiat piece having an opening adapted toreceive said loop, a pair of strl s affixed at their oppositeends tosaid sheet and sleeved through said loop, and a pair of perforated diskssleeved upon said strings.

In testimony'whereof I aliix my signature.

- ERNEST L. FARROW iii!

